The Closest Thing to Love
by Smilingbomb
Summary: [[Alternate Ending!]] Sarah couldn’t find Toby. Jareth, finding this absolutely delightful, happily keeps the boy and raises him to the next Goblin King. An extremely twisted take of Jareth's love for Sarah.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The Closest Thing to Love

**Fandom: **Labyrinth

**Rating: **PG-13 M Mostly rated for safety, though. You know what I mean!

**Summary: **Alternate Ending! Sarah couldn't find Toby. Jareth, finding this absolutely delightful, happily keeps the boy and raises him to the next Goblin King.

**Warnings: **May contain some slash and hints of femmeslash.

**Author Notes: **This is a twisted take on Jareth/Sarah. I decided to do my own thing with this and I hope you really enjoy it. I will make this multi-chapter and try my hardest to update. I'm totally swamped with finals lately. But, I will try to make each chapter long and juicy and wonderful. That's the best promise I can make. When you review, always tell me what I can improve. I like to make the reader happy, yo!

**Chapter One**

_**How to Raise a Goblin**_

The boy was raised to live up to Jareth's expectations. His clothing always displayed a certain flamboyancy of class; long coats, glitter streaked across his eyes. True, and complete beauty. Toby's hair was grown out into long, brown locks; as if he was a match to his older, long-forgotten sister. His seventeen year old body was petite and slender and gave off a distinct aura of femininity. The face of the boy was even more amazing; it was pale and soft and showed no hints of blemish as many boys his age experienced. His lips were a color of pink that was inhuman, as were the color of his violent, violet eyes. They spoke of the horrors he could not remember. Toby had no memories of his sister coming to save him. He had no memories of the 'normal' world. All he had was Jareth; someone who provided him with constant comforting. Every time the goblins would sneer at Toby with jealousy at the attention he received, the sensitive boy would find himself comforted by the soft stroke of the King's hand on his cheek.

Looks did not make kings. And, Toby knew since he was a young boy, that Jareth was raising him to the heir. Jareth wanted nothing less but to turn this boy into the perfect example of what all Goblins should look up; beauty, class, and perfection. Toby was now walking up to his Master's chambers. His footsteps were light as they hit the ground with a distinct clack. The environment that surrounded him up the stairs was nothing but typical. Brown walls with the occasional picture hung up were typical. But on other, more strange days, Toby was occasionally greeted by several staircases leading up to different areas than the King's room. Though, it wasn't truly strange. This was Toby's life. He was accustomed to it. Everyday of his life he was greeted with these things that anyone from Sarah's world would consider odd.

Finally he reached Jareth's room. It was a big, brown door made of large slabs of wood that gave off a very 'medieval' feel. Toby wanted to come in and surprise Jareth with the heat of another sneaking up on him. But, throughout the years, the beautiful boy had learned to knock on the door and wait for his King to answer. It was almost as though, regardless of the affections he received, he was still a child to Jareth—something that would never truly grow up. Lifting up the handle of the golden knocker on the door; Toby swayed it to make a _knock, knock, knock. _

Toby waited with patience for a few seconds that absolutely taunted him. He hated the way Jareth would take so long to greet his prince. It was completely tantalizing. It was if the older man enjoyed making the boy wait with anticipation just to see his face again. Looking back on his past, Toby wasn't sure when this desire began. He was raised by the man; to anyone else the man would be practically a father. But, in this strange world, there was no such thing as father or mother. There were companions. And, at some point during his teenage years, the feelings for the older man grew from admiration to affection. Jareth took it well and returned the kisses and hugs and touches with no problem. Toby didn't know how he actually felt, but through his young life, he truly felt like the King must love him. Why else would he show so much love?

The creek of the door caused the violet eyes of Toby to look up and stare the charming man in the face. He was perfection. His blonde hair stuck out in every direction; giving off a distinctly charming feel of rebel. His eyes were carefully brought out by the beautiful shades of silver and blue that were applied on his eyelids. Then, there were Jareth's lips. The dark crimson caused Toby to stare back at the ground as a blush formed on his cheeks. "Toby," his voice came off dark, and almost smoky as he spoke to his protégé, "I wasn't expecting you." Standing by his words, Jareth did not exit the doorway to let the boy in. Rather he stood there. The Goblin King's body slumped against the edge of the door as he awaited some sort of explanation for the arrival of the darling human who stood at the doors of his personal chambers.

Blocking the blush from continuing to form; Toby looked up with a lack of conviction, "I wanted to see you," he stood on his toes to match the other man's height, "What else?" The last words were purred into Jareth's ears. The ringing voice that Jareth heard was heavenly. The young one quickly took on the older man's accent; but he still spoke in such a higher octave. It was almost feminine. It was almost as beautiful as a certain female he had lost so many years ago. This boy was clearly a replacement. No one would ever realize that, though. And, Toby, who knew nothing of his older sister would never even begin to suspect the real reason his hero doted on him so and accepted his affections with such 'honesty.'

The King's voice echoed with laughter as he grabbed the collar of Toby's coat and happily dragged him into his room; the room that sent shivers of joy down the brunette's spine as he entered it. It provided a sort of ecstasy that Toby never could place. It was more than love. It was something heavenly. Something divine. How did this king manage to do such things to him? Violet eyes peered to the surroundings. Though the basic shape stayed the same; it was constantly changing. Occasionally there would be a new portrait or some new coat draped on the bed. Toby didn't know where his beloved got such things but always found joy when Jareth brought something for young Toby.

There was one portrait that always caught Toby's eyes. It was of a beautiful girl adorned in a golden dress and her hair put up perfectly. Though, regardless of this beauty, Toby always felt that she looked horribly sad and almost melancholy. The girl looked like Toby, though he would never consciously acknowledge it. Staring at the picture, he would assume it was some old friend. Surely not a lover. For, with all the honestly placed in the innocent one's heart, he felt that he was the only one for Jareth. This girl…she had no place with him.

"You always come to visit me, love," Jareth spoke as he pushed the petite boy on the bed with a sudden thrust. The King could stare at the boy for hours on end. He was incredibly beautiful. Charming. Beautiful. Toby's body easily fell on the soft bed as he head looked upward at the lustful creature who had just thrown him on the bed adorned with silk, purple sheets. The Goblin King sat next to the boy lightly kissing his neck.

Toby felt joy just from the licks and kisses on the man on his neck. It was horrible. It was soft and perfect and charming. He moaned ever so lightly as he felt Jareth's mouth on his ear; gnawing lightly. "Actually," he began as a hand slipped to his chest in a movement that sent electric sensations throughout Toby's body, "I was wondering about something."

Jareth groaned and pulled away. His fun was quickly ended by talk like this. There were days, long ago, when all Toby would do was visit him for pleasure and companionship. But, as of late, that was not all the younger boy wanted. It was as if he was beginning to try to build a bond with the King. Some sort of true love. Jareth didn't understand it. This was his prince and lover. He always had felt they loved in a way that did not require communication—a purely physical love.

Wide eyes of disappointment greeted Jareth as he pulled his love away from the brunette. Jareth did not speak. He stared at Toby; awaiting whatever question the boy was going ask. Toby spoke up in a voice that imitated an angry, stubborn child, "Well," he said with a shrug that faked apathy, "I want to talk to you. We used to talk. You used to teach me. But now," Toby stopped his façade of indifference with watery eyes, "Do you love me?"

Jareth smiled, whispering to the boy, "I love you more than life itself. I love you more than anyone else! I love you more than any other goblin. Man. Woman. More than anything!" He quickly pushed the boy to lay down on the bed. Toby's hair snaking across the pillow. With that; Jared happily began placing affectionate kisses and hands all across the boy's, who now believed in the man's love, body.

As Jareth straddled the boy, the look that swarmed onto Toby's features reminded him of his true love. With the moment of passion coming upon him, Jareth let it slip as he screamed out in ecstasy, _"Sarah!" _

**Author Notes: **If this concept gets enough support, I'll try to go onto chapter two. Which, I will happily tell you what's in store. Sarah is coming back, to begin with. And there will be a little Sarah/Jareth going on. So please, read and review and enjoy.


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Author Notes: **I've never actually started on the second chapter of a fanfiction so quickly. I got reviews that tickled my fancy. I'm surprised that people are intrigued by this concept. I find it delightful. But, yeah, this is a weird fiction. I won't lie. But, eh, I'm weird. The movie is weird. And it kinda' fits when you think about it, doesn't it?

And I got hate. TT. There might not be femmeslash. That was my original intent for the story. HONEST! But, I'm working through the rough drafts and my concept of an 'anti-Sarah' might have to be saved for another fanfiction. ;

**Chapter Two**

_**Down the Rabbit Hole**_

Sarah sat on the edge of the window. Hair was draping over her eyes as she stared at the police lights reflecting off her window. Outside her room she could hear the nervous shouts of her parents and police, _'We already questioned Sarah. She was sleeping. She doesn't know what happened to Toby.' _Regardless of Sarah's claims she was continually questioned for the next few years. Though she was proved innocent of any guilt; Sarah was on the receiving end of many different looks.

"_She's the girl who killed the baby."_

"_No one knows exactly what happened. No body was ever found."_

That simple gossip, those simple whispers were what sunk into Sarah's skin and drove her insane. It was the constant guilt that followed her that drove her into hysterics at the tip of a hat. She was the 'killer' of Toby. She had all the guilt hurting that boy lying on her shoulders. All the guilt of losing him. Sarah never said anything of the labyrinth. It was a secret of hers. There was a longing within Sarah for that place; a very well-placed desire intermingled with a well-placed hate. Every time she thought of _that_ man with his blonde hair shooting everywhere and dark eyes that focused directly at Sarah as he spoke; she felt a sudden rush of melancholy loneliness. Accompanied with that feeling was revulsion. Jareth had kidnapped her brother—thusly ruining her life. There was not a day that went by without Sarah thinking of what she lost and what she could have done to save it.

These feelings, this hopelessness continually followed her for two years of her life. She missed her brother; she wanted to be around him. Yet, she knew it was pointless to continue to long for it. The Labyrinth was a thing of her past and, with all of Sarah's being she tried to erase it from her memory. As she walked down the street, messenger bag thrown across her shoulder and hair pulled up in a silly pony-tail, she made her way to her Acting class. It was one of her last escapes. When she was on stage it was as if she could forget her past, her brother, and just focus on playing make-believe. For a couple of hours she was no long Sarah---she was Lady Macbeth, Glenda, or some other fantastical leading female.

She entered the theatre with a lovely smile plastered on her face. Immediately, she was greeted with relief. The mahogany columns that were attached to the outer wall gave off an almost friendly vibe while the stage, which was a wonderful color of dark, redwood, was almost the nest for the lost bird that was Sarah. Naturally, Sarah had arrived early and with a sigh she leaned against the stage and tilted her head up to look at the ceiling. It was decorated in a beautiful way that only Sarah could find unsettling. Painted on the ceiling were the images of goblins, fairies, and royalty all given a distinct 'renaissance' feel. Every moment she had to stare at those caricatures Sarah felt as if they were staring at her; daring her to come back to the world she had, for so long, attempted to reject. Her love for acting overcame her desire to avoid those eerily painted walls. Yet, still, those walls provided some sort of haunting.

Lifting up her wrist and glances at the time on her gold-plated watch she was immediately annoyed. Her cast wasn't here, nor was the director. She clucked her tongue with a slight look of anger crossing her features. This cast could be so immature at times; a trait that Sarah had grown to hate. With the 'passing' of her brother Sarah had thrown away everything; the books, the costumes, the dolls, and even Sir Lancelot. As Sarah experienced all her fantasy at-hand; her affection for them diminished. Now she was almost disgusted at the thought of goblins. They weren't the mystical creatures stories made the out to be. They were disgusting, vulgar, and altogether something Sarah would rather avoid.

Then she closed her eyes and everything fell downward. A lurch filled her stomach as her eyes closed and she almost felt herself vomit. A completely sickening feeling was filling her. Suddenly her body almost felt as it was being distorted and twisted in ways completely inhuman. Sarah's scream quickly filled the air as she felt something clawing at her arms and legs. Opening her eyes from their pause she glanced to the side only to find herself screaming even more. Goblins were the cause of the crawling. Her eye shut tightly again as Sarah hoped that it wasn't real or that it was some delusion that would soon pass.

The peculiar sensation left her arms and Sarah's eyes quickly shot open to see it. That castle hanging high above the rest of the place. It was completely horrifying as the castle commanded the type of attention that said, '_I rule you. You will never stand above me. Do not try.' _That was the type of power Jareth owned. The ability to scare people, to frighten them, without even trying. She wanted to cry. She wanted to go home. She didn't want to see this place. What had happened to her brother? He was probably dead under the rule of that completely selfish, strange man. Jareth was probably torturing her brother. Throughout her life she had tried not to think of those things. Or of what could have happened to her brother. But now, as that castle was taunting her, she had no choice.

Sarah stood up, brushing the remaining particles of dust off of her faded jeans and stared up at the castle. She was under no time limit. She was under no mission. Was there a reason to save her brother now? Would he even remember her? From what she could recall, time in the Labyrinth was different…Toby could be a young man by now.

Taking slow strides towards the entrance of the Labyrinth; Sarah felt the oddest sensation building up under her skin. Revenge could finally be taken. She would teach that man that the hell he put her through wasn't fair. That taking her brother was completely unacceptable. Jareth, who enjoyed fancying himself as a King, would pay. She tried to reassure herself that she wouldn't fall under his charm like she did when she was so much younger, and all the more naïve. Now, Sarah knew that behind that pseudo-charm was a hideous person. He was someone who would do what he wants and stomp on people's wishes and demands to get them. Without ever admitting it, Sarah had demonized the king. Over time, she had developed an almost selective memory. She chose not to recall that she summoned the king or that the goblins had only kidnapped the child under her own commands.

The door was still tightly locked. She didn't want to go through that damned labyrinth again. It was complete chaos. How did one find their way through a place with doors that lead to no where and creatures that disrupted your sense of directions? It was simply impossible. She sat against the wall to the outside without paying attention to how vile it was. Green globs of liquid snuck its way down the wall in something that could only be described as unsanitary. Sarah didn't care. The thought of going back into the _thing_ only to see _him_ again was nothing short of distasteful in Sarah's book. She also pondered how she would even get through the thing, "Where's Hoggle when I need him?"

Fate took a step into Sarah's life. A sudden 'Ah!' escaped from inside the Labyrinth as a curious voice called out that struck as familiar. "Someone callin' me?" An older Hoggle escaped. His clothing was more tattered and the look of his face was mournful and almost lost.

Sarah shot up, "Hoggle?! You're alive?!" It was amazement that he wasn't punished for his helping of Sarah. Or, at least, it was amazing that he wasn't exiled to that horrible smelling bog.

Recognition was almost immediate. "…Sarah?" He bit his lip as Sarah's arms wrapped there way around the short goblin with a smile. He was her savior at the moment. Hoggle was now her only key to get out of this place and, in turn save her brother.

Arms unwrapped their way away from Hoggle as her eyes almost filled with tears over the situation. Sarah looked down at the dirt with shame crossing her features, "I need your help. I know you probably don't want to. But, I need to get to Jareth."

Hoggle knew the irony of the statement. His punishment, oddly enough, was to work under Jareth as a slave of sorts. And in that process he discovered the complete idiosyncrasy of the man. He was in love with Sarah Though, love wasn't the best word. To properly explain the enchantment Sarah had caused to the older man, one would have to use the word infatuation. Jareth was obsessed. "Actually," he began uncomfortably, "He's the reason you're here."

**Authors Note: Sorry for the short chapter. I'm trying to do Jareth/Toby chapter then a Sarah chapter. ANYwho, I'm pretty sure you can predict what the next chapter will be. Sarah will find her way at the castle and –lawlsdrama- will happen. I'm actually writing a multi-chapter. I'm so surprised with myself. I never do multi-chaps. They always fall through. :3 Lesse' if I can finish this. **


End file.
